Tundra Swans, Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR

Just before Thanksgiving, I went to look for Tundra Swans and Bald Eagles to photograph. I drove first to Maryland’s Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, a place that is threatened with closure for lack of funding. At the present time, there is only one employee left at Eastern Neck. He told me Tundra Swans have started arriving, but only a few have, and they were staying far from the refuge coastline.

Next I went on to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, MD. From the Visitor Center, I could see four Tundra Swans , but it was not easy to photograph them as they were too far. The following photo shows one of them waking up from a midday nap, stretching a wing and a leg. I hope to have better images in late December or next January as the swans arrive in greater numbers at Eastern Neck NWR.

Tundra Swan among Canada Geese at Blackwater NWR.

Blackwater NWR is famous for its Bald Eagles, with some staying there all year round. This is one pair that could be seen from Wildlife Drive.

Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR.

After watching that pair, I drove around Wildlife Drive for a second time, and found another pair, unless it was the same one above that moved to a different location. This couple was perched on a dead tree sticking out of the water.

Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR. “Not so loud, dear!”

One of the eagles kept calling out for several minutes.

Bald Eagles at Blackwater NWR. “I will be as loud as I want!”

Finally, the one that was calling flew off.

Bald Eagle flying at Blackwater NWR.

It went in circle, looping around several times, putting on a majestic show for the visitor photographer.

Bald Eagle flying at Blackwater NWR.

Bald Eagle flying at Blackwater NWR.

Then it landed back to its perch on the dead tree.

Bald Eagle flying at Blackwater NWR.

Bald Eagle landing on perch Blackwater NWR. Note the other bird that remained at its position.

The eagle photos are so impressive! And I’m sure you’ll have more chances to take photos of the swans. We have thousands here in the agricultural fields, but they do tend to stay towards the middle of the fields, away from the roads. One needs a good long lens and a tripod, neither of which are in my proverbial bag. Each of us concentrates on certain things, and you photograph birds (and flowers!) superbly.

Wonderful captures, Hien, I am glad you made it to Blackwater! I’ve slipped over there again and saw maybe 30-40 TSwan off in the distance as well. Hopefully, more will arrive soon and stay the winter around there and Eastern Neck, where I’ve had better luck seeing them up closer at.

When a Bald Eagle reaches maturity, at about 5 years of age, the top of their head is fully white, giving it the “bald” look. Younger eagles gave brown head, becoming more and more speckled with white as they age.

Excellent images of the eagles, both perched and in flight! here so many questions that I have about their behavior, such as how mated pairs are able to find each other when they often hunt miles apart from one another, and why do they call, even when their mate is nearby.

Sorry for the rant here, but we have several National Wildlife Refuges that are closed in Michigan due to “lack of funding”, and I think that it’s all nonsense. The feds own the land and don’t sell it when they close a refuge, they only close it to the public to prevent us from seeing the wildlife there. I don’t understand why there have to be employees there, or any of the other rules and regulations that go with these refuges, other than it will be used in the long run to extract more money from the taxpayers in the form of fees, or to simply place more of nature off limits to the public. Again, sorry for the rant, you may edit this post to cut that out if you wish.

On the subject of fees, I think sooner or later they will have to be increased. Even with more government funding, in the end it still comes from us in the form of taxes. At Eastern Neck NWR, private groups have already donated money to rebuild walkways and some buildings. But salaries for employees is probably the biggest burden. At Blackwater, many people work there as volunteers. They are retirees, but park rangers must be younger and well trained, and must be paid for. There is no easy solution.

As it is, all the refugees benefit from volunteer work done for free by some people who live in the area, from greeting visitors to weeding and helping with light chores. At Eastern Neck NWR, private donations have paid for some reconstruction and maintenance work. I can see the day when entrance fees will be increased dramatically in order to maintain the refuges.